Draw-gage.



UNITE STATES ATENT FFICE.

LOUIS ALDEN, JR., OF BRYN-MAWR, PENNSYLVANIA.

D RAW-GAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,032, dated December 18, 1900.

Application led June 9,1900. Serial No. 19,696. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS ALDEN, Jr. a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Bryn- Mawr, in the county of Montgomery and State i of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Draw-Gage, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draw-gages for use in cutting leather or similar material into strips.

One Objectis to provide means for adjusting the knife to cut any width of strip desired and also to provide in connection therewith means for securely locking it in its adjusted position, so that it cannot be accidentally displaced while in use.

A further object is to provide a brace for the knife, said brace also forming a guidebar for the leather and a scale to indicate the width at which the material is to be cut.

While it is to be understood that the invention may be modified and changed within the scope of the appended claims, the preferred form is described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the same, and in which- Fignre 1 is a perspective View. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig.3 is a horizontal longitudinal section on the line 0o of Fig. 2. locking-trigger. c

Similar numerals of .reference designate like and corresponding parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 designates the handle, which, as shown, comprises a grip portion 11, around which extends a metal strap 12, the ends of which project beyond one end of the grip and form the top and bottom plates of a casing, within which is housed the operating and locking mechanism of the knife-bar. Suitable closures 13 form the side walls of the casing, the outer end being closed by the guide-block 14. The lower edge of the guideblock is cut away, as at 15, and through the cut away portion is slidably mounted the transverse knife-bar 16, which projects on both sides of the casing.

The knife-bar 16 preferably comprises a fiat metal bar having its inner edge provided with a series of teeth forming a rack 17 ,which Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the extends along itsentire length. The under portion of the bar is provided with a groove 18, into which project guiding-screws 19, arranged at the bottom of the casing.

Vertically mountedin the casing and projecting above the outer end thereof is an operating-shaft 20, to the lower end of which is attached the pinion 21, that meshes with the rack 17. The upper or projecting end of the shaft is provided with a milled head 22, by means of which the shaft is operated.

In order to lock the bar 16, the pivoted locking-trigger 23 is provided. This trigger' is preferably made of two sections, which are connected at right angles to each other to form a bell-crank lever, one arm of which projects through the lower end of the casing, forming a finger-grip 24, the other arm 25 being bifurcated and extending on both sides of the pinion 21, forming locking-dogs 25a. The ends of these dogs are beveled and are each provided with teeth 26, which engage between the teeth of the rack 17. A flat steel spring 27 is arranged to bear upon the bifurcated arm 25, and thereby normally hold the teeth 26 in engagement with the rack 17.

Fastened to one end of the bar 16 is the vertical knife-blade, which is preferably secured between the end of the bar and the block 28. Extending transversely through the casing above and parallel to the knifebar 16 is the brace-rod 29, one end of which is secured to the upper end portion of the knife, preferably by means of the screw 30, while the opposite end is connected to the end of the knife-bar by means of the block 31. The upper side of the brace-rod is flattened, as at 31a, and is provided with a suitable graduated scale.

In adjusting the knife the trigger is pressed forward, thus raising the locking-dogs out of engagement with the rack. The knife can then be readily moved by turning the milled head and the desired adjustment can be easily obtain ed, as indicated by the scale on the brace-rod. The trigger is then released and. the dogs will be forced into engagement with the rack and lock the bar in position.

By the use of the brace-rod a very thin knife may be used with a consequent decrease in the power necessary to operate the device. The brace-rod also serves as a guard IOO to hold the leather or other material in place While being cut, a feature that is especially advantageous in cutting Wide strips.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A device of the class described, comprising a handle having a casing at one end, a transversely arranged knife bar slidably mounted in the casing and provided with a rack, a shaft arranged Within the casing and having a pinion that engages the rack, one end of said shaft projecting from the casing and provided with an operating-head, and a trigger mounted upon the handle and having an arm also arranged within the casing and adapted to engage the rack,

2. A device of the class described, comprising a handle having a casing at one end, a transversely arranged knife bar sldably mounted in the casing and provided with a rack, a shaft arranged Within the casing and having a pinion that engages the rack, one end of said shaft projecting from the casing and provided with an operating-head, and a spring-pressed trigger pivoted Within the casing and comprising a bell-crank lever, one arm of said lever being bifurcated and extending on both sides of the pinion, forming dogs arranged to engage the rack.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a handle, a knife-bar carried by the handle, a knife-blade mounted upon the bar, and a brace-rod carried by the handle and engaging the knife.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a handle, a knife-bar slidably mounted upon the handle, a knife-blade carried by the bar, and an independent brace-rod also slidably mounted upon `the handle and engaging the knife.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a handle, a knife-bar slidably mounted upon and projecting from both sides of the handle, a knife-blade carried upon one end of the bar, and an independent brace-rod also slidably mounted upon the handle and engaging the knife, said brace-rod being provided With a graduated scale and connected to the knife-bar at the end opposite the knifeblade.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS ALDEN, JR.

NVitnesses:

FRANK BEVAN, WM. E. BEVAN. 

